ARTISTIC IMAGERY IN THE WORKS OF ANDALUSIAN POETS

Abstract

The article offers an in-depth analysis of artistic imagery in the works of Andalusian poets, emphasizing its significance within the broader development of medieval Arab-Islamic literature. Andalusian poetry emerged in a unique cultural environment shaped by the interaction of Eastern and Western traditions. This intersection produced a distinctive poetic system that blends classical Arabic aesthetics with local sensibilities and innovative literary approaches.
Particular attention is devoted to literary devices such as simile, metaphor, symbol and person-ification. Through these techniques, poets were able not only to depict natural scenery but also to encode complex emotional, philosophical and spiritual meanings. Motifs of light, water, gardens, wind and blossoming nature acquire multilayered significance: they represent both observable reality and symbolic reflections of love, longing, inner harmony or mystical enlightenment.
The article also examines the poetic transformation of urban space. Cities like Córdoba and Seville appear in poetry as more than cultural hubs; they become symbols of beauty, intellectual refinement and spiritual balance. Through the image of the city, poets’ express personal emotions while simultaneously capturing the essence of the Andalusian cultural landscape.
A separate section is devoted to the contributions of Ibn Zaydun, Ibn Khafaja, Wallada bint al-Mustakafi and Ibn Arabi. Their works illustrate a sophisticated mastery of imagery and the ability to convert poetic text into a medium of spiritual reflection and philosophical inquiry. The study con-cludes that artistic imagery in Andalusian poetry fulfills aesthetic, emotional and worldview-forming functions, offering a comprehensive depiction of both the artistic and inner spiritual horizons of the era.